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Pittsburg approves $2.65 million budget and a slate of capital reserve additions; road and bridge funding debated
Summary
At the March 11 Pittsburg town meeting voters approved the $2,652,439 municipal budget and multiple capital reserve and purchase articles — including funds for road work, police cruisers, and fire apparatus — while residents urged faster action on a dirt stretch of Bay Road and asked for clarity on bridge replacement planning.
PITTSBURG, N.H. — Voters at the Pittsburg town meeting on March 11 approved the town’s $2,652,439 general municipal operations budget and a series of capital reserve and purchase articles recommended by the Select Board.
The meeting, called to order by Moderator Ray Kingsbury, included approvals to add funds to or spend from several capital reserve accounts: $125,000 for Gay Road improvements; $20,000 to the Police Cruiser Capital Reserve Fund; $5,000 to the Happy Corner Bridge Capital Reserve Fund; $75,000 to the Fire Truck Capital Reserve Fund; $10,000 to the Fire Equipment Capital Reserve Fund; $50,000 to the Heavy Equipment Capital Reserve Fund; $5,000 to the Revaluation Capital Reserve Fund; $61,000 from the police cruiser reserve to buy a cruiser; and $300,000 from the fire-truck reserve to buy a rescue truck. Each article was read, motions were called, and voters signified approval by raising voting cards; moderators declared the motions adopted and, in each case, the meeting moved to restrict reconsideration of the vote.
Why it matters: the budget and reserve additions together set near-term spending priorities for public safety, equipment replacement and infrastructure maintenance. Several items were routine board recommendations, while others prompted resident questions about timing, scope and which level of government would handle larger projects.
Votes at a glance (outcome: adopted unless noted): - Election results: town offices and related tallies were read aloud; 206 ballots were cast for the town portion. - Article — Improve Gay Road (petition): $125,000 — adopted. - Article 3: add $20,000 to Police Cruiser Capital Reserve — adopted. - Article 4: add $5,000 to Happy Corner Bridge Capital Reserve — adopted. - Article 5: add $75,000 to Fire Truck Capital Reserve — adopted. - Article 6: add $10,000 to Fire Equipment Capital Reserve — adopted. - Article 7: add $50,000 to Heavy Equipment Capital Reserve — adopted. - Article 8: add $5,000 to Revaluation Capital Reserve — adopted. - Article 9: authorize $61,000 from police cruiser reserve to purchase a cruiser — adopted. - Article 10: authorize $300,000 from fire truck reserve to purchase a rescue truck — adopted. - Article 11: $37,000 to set and pour a retaining wall and slab at the transfer station — adopted. - Article 12: raise and appropriate $2,652,439 for general municipal operations — adopted. - Article 13: transact any other legal business — adopted; meeting adjourned.
Selected follow-ups: residents asked the Select Board and town staff to provide detail on project contracts and timing before money is spent on specific construction; the moderator reminded election winners of the statutory timing to take their oaths of office. The Select Board and staff will be the contact points for subsequent project bidding and town approvals.
The meeting adjourned after routine closing remarks and a reminder to return voting cards for reuse.
